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World Class Cheese Maker Expands Recall

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

A World Cheese Award winner--the Estrella Family Creamery located in southwest Washington State--is expanding its recall.

The 164-acre dairy farm near Montesano, WA, which is known for its fertile soil and lush pastures, originally recalled only its Red Darla cheese on Feb. 13.

Now the Estrella Family Creamery has expanded the recall to include Brewleggio, Domino, and Wynoochee River Blue cheeses in addition to the Red Darla.

All could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.  Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Listeria infection can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The products were sold to restaurants and cheese shops in WA, OR, and NJ.

The Domino cheese is a one-pound, natural rind wheel made from cow's milk. The Brewleggio cheese is a soft washed rind cow's milk wheel 8" wide by 2" tall, weighing approximately 3 pounds.  The Wynoochee River Blue Cheese is a 5-pound wheel with a rustic natural rind, blue veined.  The products are not coded.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The Red Darla and Domino cheeses tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.  The Brewleggio and Wynoochee River Blue cheeses are also being included in the expanded recall because they were aged in the same room as the Domino cheese.

The company has ceased the production and distribution of the products as the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the company continue their investigation into what caused the problem.

Estrella's Grisdale Goat, a semi-hard goats milk, and its Weebles, a hard-smoked cheese, are past Gold winners in the Dublin World Cheese Awards.  Its cheeses are aged in a "cheese cave."

Consumers can return any remaining product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Kelli or Anthony an answer any questions at the Creamery, (360) 249-6541, Monday - Friday, 6:00am - 8:00pm PST.

Editor's Note: Cookson Beecher contributed to this report.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on February 19, 2010 (boomark / email).